Playa del Rey High School Honors Alumni

St. Bernard High School in Playa del Rey celebrated its 55th anniversary with an event at Shanghai Red’s in Marina del Rey to discuss the school’s new upgrades.

The high school’s principal, Dr. Cynthia Hoepner, announced at the event on Saturday that the school will receive a new Wi-Fi system, computer lab, a new college center, a renovated library and science labs. 

The Catholic school honored two alumni at the event for their leadership roles – fighter pilot Gen. Kevin P. Chilton, ’72 and Jason Ferguson, ’13. 

Chilton enrolled in the Air Force after graduating from St. Bernard’s and later won NASA’s “Top Fox” award for flight safety. 

“He has worked hard to exercise all of His God given potential which has opened doors for him to excel in each and every endeavor he has pursued.  He is the kind of leader that uses his faith and gifts to selflessly encourage, inspire, lift up and motivate others," said Jamie Chilton, his brother.

Ferguson was honored because in 2012 he rallied his classmates to join the junior varsity football team after 34 of his varsity teammates transferred out of St. Bernard’s. In a short while he was able to establish a 30-person team after only eight people had remained.

“Jason Ferguson has proven himself as a humble servant to the game of football, to his teammates, and to the St. Bernard Viking family.  Lights or no lights, Jason shines brightly as a hero and his story will go down in Viking history,” said Dr. Hoepner.